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Tom Griffin
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Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed it. I assume you'll share the project with us?
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Tom Griffin
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Thank you Paul.
Tom
Tom
An excellent video, and as others have pointed out, one of many ways to do this, and your way almost exactly duplicates the way I was taught to do it many years ago.
The only differences would be not to use an adjustable square to square anything, they are not accurate enough. Use a small precision square instead. Personally, with the part approaching one inch wide, there was plenty of room for two parallels 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide. Two parallels eliminate all cant or tilt, making your job easier and faster. The third point is back dragging the file back over the piece. Bad for the file, and increases wear and pinning. Minor points I know, but at times the minor points stack against you.
The only differences would be not to use an adjustable square to square anything, they are not accurate enough. Use a small precision square instead. Personally, with the part approaching one inch wide, there was plenty of room for two parallels 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide. Two parallels eliminate all cant or tilt, making your job easier and faster. The third point is back dragging the file back over the piece. Bad for the file, and increases wear and pinning. Minor points I know, but at times the minor points stack against you.
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Tom Griffin
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I appreciate the constructive criticism, but...
I'm not sure what you mean by using an adjustable square. I used a 3" solid square (Brown and sharpe no less).
That file is used only for deburring, it's a fine cut, nicely worn and does an excellent job of deburring. Would I drag a file backwards if I were filing a part to size? No way, but for deburring it makes absolutely no difference.
The parallels are a judgement thing. As I pointed out in the video, if the part was larger I would use two, but for this application I chose to use one.
Hopefully I don't sound to unappreciative about the comments, but after forty thousand views these and other minor points, like the fact that I use a ball pein hammer to tap the work down, have all been literally and figuratively beaten to death on YouTube. We all have our ways of doing things. I do this for a living, these techniques work well for me and after forty plus years they have kind of become second nature.
Thanks,
Tom
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Top notch video. I appreciate how you don't repeat yourself, you mention pitfalls and why-we-do-thats and skip the odd step we've already seen.
Here's one additional tip, since a couple of responses addressed it - (that if you hang the work off one edge you can do a side as well) - I do this all the time and YES it's best to put a screw jack on the other side of the vise if you have one. But when I'm making a part - or many times it's two or more, use one of them to keep the vise even. OR make your stock longer, square 4 sides, get back to the band saw and cut to length leaving an exact block to use for the other side of the vise. Plus it's easy to size the part with calipers when it's clamped horizontally.
Here's one additional tip, since a couple of responses addressed it - (that if you hang the work off one edge you can do a side as well) - I do this all the time and YES it's best to put a screw jack on the other side of the vise if you have one. But when I'm making a part - or many times it's two or more, use one of them to keep the vise even. OR make your stock longer, square 4 sides, get back to the band saw and cut to length leaving an exact block to use for the other side of the vise. Plus it's easy to size the part with calipers when it's clamped horizontally.
My apologies. The square appeared to be adjustable in the film, like a Starrett 6 inch.
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Tom Griffin
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Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
I use the technique you described when machining plate stock. Two parallel edges get machined first, then it gets clamped flat in the vise for machining the top surface as well as one or both remaining edges. It saves set-up time and as you mentioned, is easier to measure. I don't normally side mill thicker parts because end mill flex doesn't produce a part that is as square as one that has been end milled on all six sides. As you pointed out, it is important to support the opposite side of the vise jaws when a part is held off center.
Tom
Tom,
Would there be any advantage to using a fly cutter rather than and end mill to surface the faces?
I really enjoyed the video, and since I first saw it on YouTube, I have watched it several times. When I tried to duplicate it on my X2 mill, the finished piece started out square on the first few faces, but was a few thousands out end-to-end when I finished. I assume that means that my mill needs tramming.
Please keep us posted on any future videos and thanks for the great tutorial.
Ken
Would there be any advantage to using a fly cutter rather than and end mill to surface the faces?
I really enjoyed the video, and since I first saw it on YouTube, I have watched it several times. When I tried to duplicate it on my X2 mill, the finished piece started out square on the first few faces, but was a few thousands out end-to-end when I finished. I assume that means that my mill needs tramming.
Please keep us posted on any future videos and thanks for the great tutorial.
Ken